Dear Claudia,

I work for a company that is obsessed with customer satisfaction, which is a good thing – right? I’m not so sure. The way it works in Recruiting is that the Hiring Manager is always right, which means that I can’t ever say no. Want a purple squirrel? Sure, no problem. Want to see 10 more resumes when you already have 5 great candidates ? Absolutely, I’ll get right on that. Want to do things your way, even if it’s backwards and stupid? Ok, great! The tail is wagging the dog here, and when I try to change it I’m tagged “difficult to work with.” What should I do?

Can’t Say No


Dear CSN,

Three things in life are certain my friend: death, taxes, and the fact that somebody is always in charge. This isn’t about company culture or being a team player; it’s about quiet confidence and who gets to drive the hiring process. And at the moment that person is not you. Here’s a news flash: Hiring Managers don’t give a rat’s bupkis about being in charge as long as you produce results...


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In my day job, I’m the Head of Products for Improved Experience, where we help employers use feedback to measure and manage competitive advantage in hiring and retention. Learn more about us here.

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